Undergarment.



N N I E A M IL Du B A H DH E W N U APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. 191i.

Patented; July 20, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO.,WASH|NGTON. D. c.

WILSON BLAIN', 0F ALBANY, OREGON.

UNDERGARMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. a; Pate ted J l 20 19131 Application filed December 14, 1911. Serial No. 665,757.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILSON R. BLAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Linn and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Undergarments; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to apparel, and more especially to bifurcated union garments; and the object of the same is to so construct the garment and its flaps as to bring the fastening means at some other point than down the front. This object is accomplished by providing the front of one leg with a large triangular flap and the rear of the same leg with a large right-angular triangular flap, the flaps being of such size and disposition that their free corners or angles will overlap on the waist line at a point over the groin and considerably to one side of the front, all as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein Figure l is a front elevation of a union garment, and Fig. 2 a rear elevation of the same, both illustrating the application of my invention thereto and showing the flaps as buttoned together.

In the drawings, the letter R designates the right and the letter L the left leg of an undergarment or union suit, these legs being separated from the crotch C upward along the line 0 in front to the waist line W, and along this opening 0 such garments are usually buttoned up.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the letter B designates the body of a union undergarment which is buttoned up the front as at F.

The wearer finds considerable difliculty and inconvenience in buttoning and unbuttoning the same down the opening 0, when left unbuttoned the wearer is cold, and when buttoned the buttons themselves interfere with the free action of the wearers limbs and the wearers comfort when sitting, often prevent a perfect fit of the outside clothing, and are always subject to the objection that the buttons may come 01? or the button-holes tear out. It is the purpose of the present invention to avoid these difiiculties and objections, to simplify the .construction of un dergarments of this character, and to render the same stronger and more durable. than heretofore.

Coming now more particularly to the present invention, I provide one leg of the undergarmentpreferably the left leg L, and especially when said garment is Worn by a man with a rather wide triangular flap l-at the front, stitched along its upright edge as at 2 to said leg from the crotch C to the waist line W and the stitches continued above the same as at 3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby leavingthe other twoedges 4t and 5 ofthis triangular flap quite free from any portion of the garment so that the angle or corner 6 of the flap will project sufliclently to be capable of being drawn outward over the groin about as shown in Fig. 1. I provide the garment with a rightangular flap 11 stitched at its inner upright edge as at 12 to the left leg L (or perhaps to a reinforce 13 along the edge of the same) from the crotch C upward to the waist line W so that its upper free edge 14 extends along the waist line and its outer free edge 15 stands oblique and extends normally behind the right leg R and over the right hip. The size of this flap 11 is such that its angle or corner 16 may be drawn around over the right hip to a position about over the groin of the wearer so that this corner will lap the corner 6 of the front flap 1 as best seen in Fig. 1. I purposely make this rear flap 11 of right-angular triangular construction because there is no upright seam along the back of a union garment to which the upper extremity of the inner edge of this flap could be stitched as along the line 3 with respect to the front flap 1. The material of these two flaps 1 and 11 may be the same as that employed in making the garment, formed integral therewith or attached thereto in any suitable way, or it may be different material, preferably quite flexible and warm and possibly to an extent elastic. Of necessity the front flap is of a width to cover the front opening 0, and the rear flap to cover the rear opening if there be one, so that when the two flaps are in place the wearer will not be cold, and as there are no buttons or other fastening means at the center of either front or rear the wearer will not be inconvenienced thereby. The outer corners of these flaps may be connected where they overlap by any suitable fastening device 20 such as a button, hook and eye, buckle, or the like; and for childrens use or where great strength is desired there might be two fastening devices or even more without departing from the principle of my invention. It is essential, however, that the fastening de-' vice or devices be carried outward to one side of the medial line of the garment so that the objects aimed at by this invention may be secured. Yet I would not carry such devices around over the hip to a point opposite the hip bone, because the fit of other garments might be impaired thereby or the fastening devices might be embedded into the flesh if the belt of an outer garment were drawn too tightly. The exact dimensions of the two flaps will regulate the point where their corners. overlap and the fastenothers may safely be left with the manufacturer'.

l/Vhat is claimed as new is: A union undergarment open at the front and formed vwith a triangular flap from the crotch to above the waistline, the top edge. of theflap extending from the edge of the.

open front to the side of the wearer, said garment having a rear opening and a flap from the crotch to the waistline and the horizontal edge of this flap extending around the side of the wearer, whereby the flaps may be folded about the side of the body of the wearer, and means for fastening the flaps together.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILSON R. BLAIN.

Witnesses:

A. M. HAMMER, I H. H. HEWITT.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing. the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

